-University of Memphis
MEMPHIS, Tenn.- Memphis women’s hoops defeated cross-town Rhodes College 88-30 in a preseason exhibition at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse, Saturday.
The Tigers went on a 7-0 run in the first two minutes of the game, kicked off by an Ann Jones lay-up. Laruen McGraw followed, with a steal and lay-up to give the Tigers a 4-0 advantage.
McGraw drained a three just minutes later, after receiving a pass from true-freshman Mooriah Rowser. Rowser is the first true-freshman to start a game for the Tigers, since McGraw in 2011.
Mary Barber got the Lynx on the board with a jumper with 17:39 on the clock. After Memphis tacked on nine more points, Barber added two more at the charity stripe to make the score 16-4.
Following Barber’s points, the Tigers embarked on a 15-0 nine-minute scoring binge, that, at one point included a young Memphis line-up that included four freshmen and a sophomore on the floor. Rowser and fellow freshman Aerial Hearn accounted for 10 combined points during the run.
With the Tigers leading 39-8, senior Nicole Dickson tacked on six points in the final four minutes of the half. Dickson, the lone senior on the floor during the game, led the Tigers’ in first-half scoring with 13 points. Memphis took a 47-10 lead in to the half, shooting 51.4 percent from the floor.
Memphis dominated the second half, lighting up the scoreboard with 38 points. Dickson and Rowser combined for seven points in the Tigers’ 7-0 four-minute run to start the second half. Rowser accounted for five points, with a jumper, thanks to an assist by Dickson at 18:16, and a lay-up drawing a foul for the and-one at 16:22.
Rowser led the Tigers in scoring with 17-points, with Hearn just one behind at 16. Rowser, McGraw and Asianna Fuqua-Bey each had two steals, with junior transfer Pa’Sonna Hope leading in blocks with three. Dickson was just shy of a double-double finishing with 15-points and team leading nine rebounds.
Barber led the Lynx with 11-points, with Natile Goodrun and Sarah Johnson added two assists. Taylor Money and Catherine Eckert led Rhodes with two steals each. Barber, Sarah Womack and Dy’nelle Todman each had one block to lead the team.
Memphis kickoffs the regular season Friday, November 9, at the Elma Roane Filedhouse; taking on Grambling State in the opening round of the Preseason WNIT.
